[devsda]

> The possibility of it being thinner simply means you can maintain the current size and increase battery size

May be but I think they will utilize the space for more sensors and optical camera equipment.

Compared to early 2010s the current average smartphone battery capacity is 3-4x higher.

Do we know how much of that is due to increase in average battery volume vs increase in energy density?

[spookie]

From an empirical assessment, volume has gotten bigger. Part of it stems from the devices getting bigger as well. However, I would wager energy density hasn't improved as much as the increase in volume, given that devices got bigger first.

I think this can also be corroborated by the fact that there are less and less small smartphones options. And while there are some, they're plagued by poor battery performance. See latest iPhone SE.

There's indeed, by this logic, reason to believe less space taken by other components lead to better battery life by the sheer volume available as a result.